Dr. Rachel Elise Maxwell

Post-Doctoral Research Associate · Non-Tenure Track

Center for Space Science and Technology

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

She/Her/Hers/Herself

About

Dr. Maxwell received her Bachelors of Science studying Applied Physics and Planetary Sciences from Purdue University. She completed her PhD in Planetary Sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Center for Space Science and Technology at UMBC.

Research interests

Planetary crustal magnetism, magnetic field and gravity data analysis

Teaching interests

General education planetary sciences, geology, and astronomy. Planetary science interiors and surfaces. Graduate level pedagogy for scientists.

Education

Ph D, Earth Sciences — University of California Santa Cruz (2022)
Magnetism and Gravity as Clues to the Thermal Histories of the Moon and Mars
BS, Applied Physics and Planetary Sciences — Purdue University (2016)

Publications

Impactor material records the ancient lunar magnetic field in antipodal anomalies 2021 Nature Communications · 12 (1) · pp. 6543 Shigeru Wakita, Brandon C Johnson, Ian Garrick-Bethell, Megan R Kelley, Rachel E Maxwell, Thomas M Davison
Testing the Robustness of Parker’s method against Complexly Magnetized Sources and Implications for Lunar and Planetary Paleopole Determinations Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets · Submitted Thom Chaffee, Sonia M Tikoo, Rachel E Maxwell, Ian Garrick-Bethell

Presentations

CRUSTAL MAGNETIC SHIELDING OF RADIATION AT THE SURFACE OF MARS 2026 Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference · Lunar and Planetary Institute · Poster Rachel E Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other)
Evidence for Crustal Magnetic Fields at the Blue Ghost Lander 2025 AGU Fall Meeting · American Geophysical Union · Oral Presentation Rachel Elise Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other), Catherine L Johnson (Other), Ian Garrick-Bethell (Other), Robert E Grimm (Other), Gregory T Delory (Other), Jacob R Gruesbeck (Other), Stephanie K Howard (Other), Clive R Neal (Other), Michael E Purucker (Other), Fiona Simpson (Other), David E Stillman (Other)
Mini-Magnetospheres at Mars Protect the Surface from Radiation 2025 MAVEN Science Telecon · University of Colorado Boulder - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LAPSP) · Oral Presentation Rachel E Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other)
Mini-Magnetospheres at Mars Protect the Surface from Radiation 2025 Director's Seminar · NASA Goddard - Solar System Exploration Division · Oral Presentation Rachel E Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other)
The Iterative Downward Continuation Method for Martian Crustal Magnetic Fields using MGS and MAVEN Data 2025 MAVEN Science Telecon · University of Colorado Boulder - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LAPSP) · Oral Presentation Rachel E Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other), John E.P Connerney (Other)
CRUSTAL MAGNETIC SHIELDING OF RADIATION AT THE SURFACE OF MARS 2025 Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference · Lunar and Planetary Institute · Poster Rachel E Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other)
NASA-PEER: THE POST-BACCALAUREATE CONSTELLATION MENTORSHIP PROGRAM TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS IN SPACE SCIENCE 2025 Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference · Lunar and Planetary Institute · Oral Presentation Rachel E Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Aleksandra J Gawronska (Other), Jenna M Cann (Other), Taylor Hutchison (Other), Erini Lambrides (Other), Katherine McKee (Other)
The Iterative Downward Continuation Method for Martian Crustal Magnetic Fields using MGS and MAVEN data 2024 AGU Fall Meeting · American Geophysical Union · Oral Presentation Rachel Elise Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other), John E.P Connerney (Other)
The Iterative Downward Continuation Method for Martian Crustal Magnetic Fields using MGS and MAVEN Data 2024 MAVEN PSG - Fall · Colorado University, Boulder, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Sciences · Poster Rachel Elise Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other), John E.P Connerney (Other)
Downward Continuing Magnetometer Data to Increase Resolution ofCrustal Magnetic Fields 2024 MAVEN PSG - Fall · Colorado University, Boulder, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Sciences · Oral Presentation Rachel Elise Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other), John E.P Connerney (Other)
How Effective are Crustal Magnetic Fields at Shielding the Surface from Radiation? 2024 MAVEN Science Telecon · University of Colorado Boulder - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LAPSP) · Oral Presentation Rachel E Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other), John E.P Connerney (Other)
How Effective are Martian Crustal Magnetic Fields at Shielding the Surface from Radiation? 2023 AGU Fall Meeting · American Geophysical Union · Poster Rachel Elise Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other)
How Effective are Martian Crustal Magnetic Fields at Shielding the Surface from Radiation? 2023 MAVEN PSG - Fall · Colorado University, Boulder, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Sciences · Poster Rachel Elise Maxwell (Author & Presenter), Jared R Espley (Other)

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